Soviet WWII Campaign Medal “For the Defence of the Soviet Transarctic”

Name: Soviet WWII Campaign Medal “For the Defence of the Soviet Transarctic”
SKU: 2642623
Availability: InStock

Authentic Soviet Medal “For the Defence of the Soviet Transarctic” (Russian: «ЗА ОБОРОНУ СОВЕТСКОГО ЗАПОЛЯРЬЯ»), awarded to participants in the Arctic campaigns against Nazi Germany during the Arctic Campaign of World War II.

The medal is struck in brass and measures 32 mm in diameter with a raised rim. The obverse features a detailed composition centered on the bust of a Soviet soldier dressed in a sheepskin coat and fur cap, armed with a PPSh submachine gun. To the left appears the partial silhouette of a warship, while aircraft are shown in flight on either side of the soldier’s head. At the lower portion, two tanks emerge across the soldier’s coat, emphasizing the combined arms nature of the campaign. Along the circumference runs a 3 mm band bearing the inscription “FOR THE DEFENSE OF THE SOVIET TRANSARCTIC” («ЗА ОБОРОНУ СОВЕТСКОГО ЗАПОЛЯРЬЯ»), with a five-pointed star and hammer and sickle emblem at the base.

The reverse displays the hammer and sickle near the top, above the three-line inscription “FOR OUR SOVIET MOTHERLAND” («ЗА НАШУ СОВЕТСКУЮ РОДИНУ»), a standard motif across Soviet campaign medals.

The medal is suspended from a standard Soviet pentagonal mount, fitted with a 24 mm blue silk moiré ribbon featuring narrow white edge stripes and a broader central white stripe with fine edging. The ribbon may show age-related wear such as light soiling, minor staining, and edge fraying, consistent with period use and storage.

Condition: As shown in photographs.

€125,00

In stock

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SKU: 2642623

Details

Classification	Campaign Medal
Conflict	World War II
Country	Soviet Union

Statement

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Historical Description

The Medal “For the Defence of the Soviet Transarctic” (Russian: «Медаль «За оборону Советского Заполярья»») was instituted on 5 December 1944 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, following a proposal from the People’s Commissariat of Defense. It was created to recognize the sustained efforts of Soviet forces and civilians who defended the strategically vital Arctic region during the Arctic Campaign of World War II against Nazi Germany and its allies.

The medal was awarded broadly to participants in the defense of the Soviet North, including personnel of the Red Army, the Soviet Navy, and NKVD troops, as well as members of the civilian population who contributed to the defense effort. This included not only frontline combatants but also individuals involved in logistics, medical services, and regional support operations essential to maintaining resistance in the harsh Arctic environment.

Awards were issued in the name of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, based on official documentation confirming participation. These documents could be provided by unit commanders, heads of military medical institutions, or local authorities such as the Murmansk regional and city Councils of People’s Deputies. Active-duty servicemen typically received the medal through their chain of command, while discharged personnel were decorated via local military commissariats. Civilian recipients were awarded through regional or municipal councils. In cases where a defender had been killed in action or died prior to the medal’s establishment, the decoration was awarded posthumously to their family.

In the official order of wear, the medal was placed on the left side of the chest. When worn alongside other Soviet decorations, it followed the Medal “For the Defence of the Caucasus.” In modern usage, if displayed with awards of the Russian Federation, those decorations take precedence.